Note 3 - Derivative Instruments Fair Values Derivatives, Balance Sheet Location by Derivative Contract Type (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets	$ 16,202,000		$ 17,212,000
Derivative liabilities	202,100,000		126,006,000
Financial Guaranty Credit Derivatives [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets	14,400,000		15,400,000
Derivative liabilities	183,800,000		106,500,000
Financial Guaranty VIE Derivative Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	18,300,000		19,500,000
Derivative liabilities, net	(18,300,000)	[1]
Net Interest Margin Securities [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets	1,700,000		1,600,000
Other Contract [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets	100,000		200,000
Radian Group Consolidated [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets	16,200,000		17,200,000
Derivative liabilities	202,100,000		126,000,000
Derivative liabilities, net	$ (185,900,000)		$ (108,800,000)

[1] Represents the fair value of an interest rate swap included in the consolidation of one of our financial guaranty transactions. The notional amount of the interest rate swap does not represent additional par exposure, and therefore, is excluded from this table. See Note 5 for information on our maximum exposure to loss from our consolidated financial guaranty transactions.